Dandruff

The
medical term for dandruff is seborrheic dermatitis. This condition
tends to affect hair-bearing regions and facial furrows; it is not a
disorder of hair but of the underlying skin. Seborrhea literally means
“freely flowing sebum,” and the problem occurs in those areas with a
large number of oil glands. Common sites include the scalp, eyebrows,
central face, external ear, mid chest, upper back, belly button, and
genital areas.

The most common form of seborrhea consists of
slight redness coupled with an itchy, greasy, scaling dandruff, with
white flecks that rain down on dark-colored clothing. Seborrheic
dermatitis may become more severe, producing bright-red, inflamed,
scaling patches on the face and chest that may spread under the arms and
even to the groin.

Seborrheic dermatitis is common in infants under
the age of 3 months and is called “cradle cap”.

Causes

The
cause of seborrheic dermatitis is unknown. A relationship to hormones
and superficial yeast infections has been postulated. Interestingly, the
condition is associated with Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.

The primary cause of dandruff is thought to be a yeast
called Pityrosporum ovale.

• Over activity of oil glands is another
possible
cause. Shampooing daily will eliminate the oil and help
prevent the
dandruff.

• Stress can trigger or exacerbate dandruff.

• A high sugar intake may be another major
cause. Sugar requires B vitamins in order to metabolize and
can cause
a deficiency. To compensate take a high potency B-complex to
relieve
the dandruff. Related to the sugar problem is the fact that diabetes
may be the cause of your dandruff. If you have diabetes the
high sugar
levels result in dehydration of the tissues as the body
flushes out
fluids in an attempt to rid itself of the sugar. One of the
end results
is dry skin.

• Shampooing in hot water may strip out
the natural oils and dry out your scalp. Using cool water will
close
the pores and will relieve the flaking problem.

• People on low or no fat diets may be
deficient in unsaturated fats called essential fats, such as
omega-3
and omega-6 fatty acids.

No
cure exists for seborrhea, but in most cases, the disorder is easily
controlled. Seborrheic areas are very sensitive and readily irritated.
Scratching and rubbing the skin only serves to prolong the condition and
may lead to infection. People with excess oil and scaling of the scalp
must shampoo regularly. A shampoo especially formulated to control
dandruff should be used at least twice weekly. Active ingredients in
dandruff shampoos include selenium sulfide (Head & Shoulders
Selenium, Selsun Blue), zinc pyrithione (Denorex Daily Protection, DHS
Zinc, Head & Shoulders, Health911 Zinc Shampoo), tars (Denorex, DHS
Tar, Health911 Tar Shampoo, Neutrogena T/Gel, Pentrax, Tarsum),
ketoconazole (Nizoral), ciclopirox (Loprox), and topical steroids
(Clobex). The latter two are available only by prescription.

To be effective, a dandruff shampoo should remain
on the scalp for at least five to ten minutes before rinsing. Over time,
a shampoo may lose effectiveness. Should this occur, the best course of
action is to switch to another type of shampoo. Those with a more
severe form of seborrhea may require cortisone in the form of a gel,
foam, spray, or lotion prescribed by a physician.

• Reduce or, hopefully, eliminate all foods containing yeast.
Examples are: bread and baked goods, cheese, soy sauce,
fermented condiments,
wines and alcoholic beverages. Even with a yeast-free diet it
may take
a month or so to relieve the dandruff.

Shampoos

• As mentioned above, don't shampoo in hot water. Try
lukewarm
showers and rinse with some cool water. Start by shampooing
daily with
a very mild shampoo. If this doesn't work after a few weeks,
begin using
an anti-dandruff shampoo with ZPT (zinc pyrithione) or
selenium sulfide
as the active ingredient. Coal-tar shampoos or those with
salicylic
acid may also be beneficial. If one works for a while, then
loses its
effectiveness, switch to another one with a different main
ingredient.
You should notice improvement in four to six weeks. After that
time
if the flaking hasn't subsided, see a dermatologist as you may
have
another kind of skin problem, such as psoriasis or ringworm,
which will
require a different treatment. The dermatologist may also
prescribe
an anti-dandruff shampoo with 2% ketoconazole. If you notice
fish-like
scales or waxy, tan flakes, you may have seborrhea or
psoriasis, and
should see a dermatologist.

Other Changes

• Avoid alcohol-based styling products as they tend to dry
out the scalp. The styling gels, sprays and mousses can build
up on
your scalp.

Supplements

Black currant/evening primrose oils Add black current or
evening primrose oil to your diet. These oils contain gamma
linolenic
acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid hard to get in the diet
that helps
hair, skin and nails look healthy. Many people who are on low
or no-fat
diets lack essential fatty acids. Start with 500 mg twice a
day. If
the dandruff starts to clear up, cut the dose in half. It may
take up
to two months to begin seeing results.

Folk

Aloe vera Thoroughly rub a thick gel of aloe vera
leaves
into the scalp; leave overnight; shampoo in the morning.

Apple cider vinegar Apple cider vinegar will help
restore
the proper acid/alkaline balance of the scalp and kill a
bacteria that
clogs the pores that release oil to the scalp. The clogged
pores result
in scales and crusts being formed. Apply apple cider vinegar
diluted
50% with water to the scalp and let dry. There is no need to
rinse.
Another similar remedy suggests pouring two tablespoons into a
cup,
applying the straight vinegar to the scalp, and leaving it on
from 15
minutes to three hours before shampooing. Lemon juice may also
be used.
It is the acid in these remedies that helps bring the scalp
back into
chemical balance.

Coconut oil Rub some pure coconut oil in your hair
daily. The
dandruff should clear up in a few days.

Grapefruit seed extract Mix 7-10 drops with the normal
amount
of shampoo you use. Massage into your hair and leave on for at
least
2 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water, avoiding contact with
eyes.

Listerine For mild cases of dandruff, use the
mouthwash
Listerine. It has antiseptic properties. Do not use on cases
where the
skin is broken as the Listerine can be irritating.

Herbal

Ginger Combine olive oil and ginger root and apply to
your
scalp before shampooing. If your dandruff is really bad, put
the mixture
on 10-15 minutes before shampooing.

Rosemary Rub rosemary oil or a mixture of olive oil
and
crushed rosemary leaves into your scalp and leave on for 15
minutes.

Tea Make a tea of either sage or burdock and use as a
rinse
after shampooing.

Thyme Make a rinse by boiling four heaping teaspoons
of
dried thyme in two cups of water for ten minutes; strain and
allow to
cool. Massage this tea in your clean, damp hair; do not rinse
out. The
oil from the thyme has antiseptic properties.

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